Closure for vessels for sterilized substances.



No. 741,989. PATENTBD 001'. 20, 1903.

, J. 'K.-'VAN DER'HEIDE.

'GLOSUREPOR VESSELS FOR STERILIZBD SUBSTANCES.

, APPLICATION nnnn'un. 22. 1903. no 101221..

Ill-"HIM" \III IIIII mum Fig.2?

ratentea' October 20, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOCHUM KORNELIUS VAN DER HEIDE, OF AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS.

CLOSURE FOR VESSELS FOR STERILIZED SUBSTANCES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 741,989, dated October 20, 1903. Application filed April 22, 1903. Serial N0; 153.808. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OCHUM KORNELIUS VAN DER HEIDE, a subjectof. the Queen of the Netherlands, residing at Amsterdam, Netherlands, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Closures for Vessels for Sterilized Substances, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a closure for vessels of any style-such as bottles, jars, cans, or the likewhioh closure permits the fill ing ofa previously-sterilized vessel with a previously-sterilized substance Without any danger of infection from the atmosphere.

In ordinary sterilizing processes the liquid is filled into the vessel and then sterilized with the vessel, soas to obtain a liquid of good keeping qualities. In those processes in which the liquid and the vessel are separately sterilized and the sterilized liquid filled into the vessel it often happens that the liquid does not display good keeping qualities. The reason of this is not that the sealing of the ves sel is faulty, but that during the filling of the same air containing bacteria is admitted into the vessel. This disadvantage could of course be avoided if the process were carried on in a sterilized room; but this naturally can never be entirely accomplished.

According to my invention the disadvan-' tage stated can be avoided very easily. The closure contains means for opening two passages into the vessel, so that the sterilized liquid may be admitted without the simultaneous admission of bacteria from the atmosphere. The two passages may be then closed to maintain the contents of the vessel sterile.

The invention also provides an improve ment consisting of two relatively movable plates provided with openings arranged to be brought into and out of register by the relative movement of the plates and means for pressing the plates together when the openings are out of register, and thus effecting a perfectly tight closure after the vessel is filled. Other advantages are specified in detail hereinafter. A

The accompanying drawings illustrate an 5o embodiment of the invention.

principal parts in plan separated from each other. Figs. 3 and 4 are plans of the assembled device, showing different positions of the same. Figs. 5 and 6 are side elevations of the assembled device, showing diiferent positions of the same.

In the embodiment illustrated the closure is seen to consist of two partsnamely, an upper plate 0 and a lower plate f, separated from each other by means of a rubber or other elastic ring at. The plates are movable relatively to each other, this movement being preferably obtained by means of a pin t', fiXedt-o the platef and passingloosely through an aperture in the plate 0-. For pressing the two plates together I have illustrated alever b, pivoted to the upper end of the pin 2' and provided at its pivotedend with acam or eccentric adapted to bear down on the plate c, and so press the two plates 0 and f together.

The same lever 11 serves for turning the pin t'and plate f to produce the relative rotary movement of the two plates referred to. Packing material is provided between the plates adapted to register with one of the openings when the two openings are out of register with each other, and the two plates are pressed together, so as to insure a perfectly tight closure. Preferably this packing material is in the form of a rubberor similar plate e, forming the face of one of the two plates f, as illustrated. Each of the two plates is provided with a similar pair of openings, preferably a larger openingg for the pouring in of the liquid and a smaller opening it for the escape of the air. These pairs of openings are so arranged that they may be brought into and out of register with each other by the relative rotation of the plates referred to, so that by bringing them into register the vessel to which the closure is applied may be sterilized and filled with the sterilized liquid.

The operation of the device may be as follows: The respective openings g and him the two plates are brought into register and are filled with stoppers of wadding. Fig. 3 shows the position. The vessel is then sterilized in any suitable way, the stoppers serving to filter the air entering during the cooling of the vessel and to free the same from bacteria. Then the stoppers of wadding are removed and the sterilized liquid is poured in through the larger opening g, while the air within the vessel escapes through the smaller opening h. When the vessel is filled, the operator turns the lever b in a horizontal direction say about ninety degreesso that the openings are moved out of register of each other, as in Fig. 4, and then turns the lever I) over in the vertical direction, which presses the plates together and presses the openings of the plate 0 against the packing e. At the same time the rubber ring (1 by having its edges squeezed together is pressed outward, as illustrated in Fig. 6, against the neck of the bottle or other vessel, so as to form an air-tight sterile closure.

The manner of fasteningthe closure in the neck of the vessel may be varied without departure from the broad invention. For example, it may be attached by a screw-thread at its lower portion or in any other suitable way.

Though I have described with great particularity of detail a device embodying my invention, yet it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific form. disclosed. Various modifications of the same 1. A closure for vessels comprising in combination a pair of relatively movable plates provided with openings arranged to be brought into or out of register by the relative movement of-said plates, packing material between said plates adapted to close one of said openings when the two openings are out of register with each other, and means, for pressing said plates together, so as to effect a tight closure. t

2. A closure for vessels for sterilized sub stances comprising in combination two relatively rotatable plates provided with openings arranged to be brought into or out of register by the relative rotation of said plates, one of said plates being provided with a packing-face to make an air-tight closure when the plates are pressed together with their openings out of register, an elastic ring between said plates adapted to be expanded tightly against the'neck of the vessel when said plates are pressed together, means for turning said plates relatively to each other, and means for pressing said plates together.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOCllUM KORNELIUS VAN DER llElDE.

Witnesses:

WILLEM FREDRIK PRoosT, AUGUST SIEGFRIED DOCEM. 

